Keeping the Immune System Healthy

When people say things like ‘as long as I have my health, nothing else matters,’ it’s almost like saying ‘as long as my immune system is strong . . .’

Right now, my immune system is indeed strong. It seems to be functioning like that of a young person. It keeps away all manner of maladies and fights off colds quickly.

handwashing

Everyone is painfully aware of what happens when the immune system breaks down, but it seems that experts/scientists/researchers/doctors cannot pinpoint what it takes to strengthen the immune system. Nevertheless, here’s a list of some healthy-living strategies that will bolster every part of your body, including your immune system (as suggested by Harvard Medical School):

  • Don’t smoke
  • Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Maintain healthy weight.
  • Control blood pressure.
  • If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
  • Get adequate sleep, avoid stress.
  • Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category.
  • Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.

I’ve been over-doing it regarding that last item about hand washing, and my dermatologist said that too much hand washing was drying out my cuticles. So, instead of being a barrier to microbes, my cuticles were eroded and chronically red and swollen (infected). I’m still in shock that a doctor would advise cutting back on hand washing.

And while we’re on the subject of ‘over-doing it’ —
People are becoming aware that overuse of prescription antibiotics and the proliferation of antibacterial soaps and sanitizers may actually be harmful to our immune systems in 2 ways — by killing bacteria that are helpful and by spawning mutated microbes that are resistant to treatment. So, don’t pop antibiotics like the ‘cure du jour’, and maybe consider occasionally bypassing those ubiquitous hand sanitizer containers . . .

[Img.Src: handwashing: boy, young girls]

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